Vino Rosso Horse Racing Odds - 2018 Belmont Stakes Contenders

Belmont Stakes Betting: He came out of the gates quickly in 2017 to open his career, flashing the potential that trainer Todd Pletcher sees in Vino Rosso by cruising to easy victories at Aqueduct and Tampa Bay Downs. Vino Rosso made his season debut in his first graded race in February, taking third at the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes and he finished out of the money the next time out with a fourth-place finish at the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. With one race to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, Vino Rosso ran past the field at the Wood Memorial to earn his spot in the Derby. He made up some ground late at Churchill Downs to finish ninth.

The 150th running of the Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 9, 2018 with post time set for 6:40 p.m. ET at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Catch the Belmont Stakes live on NBC.

Vino Rosso

Career Record: 3-0-1

Career Earnings: $620,500

Belmont Stakes Odds at BookMaker.eu: +1200

Pletcher and Vino Rosso’s connections weren’t terribly upset by the chestnut’s showing in the Kentucky Derby. Vino Rosso started wide in the 18th gate and settled near the back of the pack. He made up some ground late in the race to finish about 10 lengths behind winner Justify. “I don’t think his Derby was a bad race,” Pletcher said. It appeared as though Vino Rosso wasn’t a big fan of the sloppy track and that hurt him initially, which also led to his finish. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will take the mount in New York, and he feels the mile-and-a-half distance at Belmont better suits his horse.

Why Vino Rosso Will Win the Belmont Stakes

Vino Rosso is the son of two-time champion Curlin, who finished a close second at the Belmont Stakes in 2007. He’s also closely related to Commissioner, who also ran a big race at Elmont just a few years ago. The bloodlines are strong and the distance, according to Pletcher, suits his horse. “We always felt the mile and a half was going to suit him well,” he said.

Though his finish at the Derby was disappointing, the run was no fault of his own. He ran wide most of the race in a poorly-planned trip and Vino Rosso has proved that he can close. He rallied from off the pace to win the Wood Memorial and had a strong finish at the Derby to avoid a worse finish.

Why Vino Rosso Won't Win the Belmont Stakes

He’s a long shot for a reason and that’s not going to change leading up to the Belmont Stakes. Vino Rosso will be running against many of the same horses in New York that he competed against at Churchill Downs, and we saw what happened there. He’s rested after not running at Pimlico and he’s shown the ability to close, however, he hasn’t run well against quality competition and the Belmont Stakes has a strong field of challengers.

The Final Verdict

The slop at the Kentucky Derby affected Vino Rosso and he should fare better on a dry track. But the quality of the field, though it may be small, is something the chestnut isn’t ready for. Pletcher likes his horse despite finishing ninth in the Run for the Roses, and he could use his closing speed to finish in the money. He’s chances are also bolstered by the decision not to run Audible, who would likely be in the running.

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